[KCD2] Help needed for noobie

So i just bought the game after watching videos for nearly a year. I was not prepared for how brutal the game would be, is there any advice anyone has for early on? i’ve never played kcd before

I’m playing on PS5 if it helps.

But i cannot get the hang of combat, ive been on the first mission after you arrive in Troskowitz for nearly 4-5 hours because everytime i wonder somewhere and run into someone on the track pebbles kicks me off and i get pretty much 2 tapped before i can even stand up most the time and if i do stand up i can’t kill anyone because they have a shield and i get merked straight after they block. i have pretty much no idea what i am doing other than going to the red markers

Is there any armour that i could buy close by or weapons?

Having a brain fog moment